January 19/06 8:07 am - CCA Statement On Jeanson Suspension

Posted by Editoress on 01/19/06

CCA Statement On Jeanson Suspension

The Canadian Cycling Association learned through the media today of Geneviève Jeansons positive test for EPO on July 25, 2005, and the subsequent ruling of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

The CCA immediately initiated inquiries to verify the report, and through conversations with USA Cycling and USADA, we are able to issue the following statement to clarify the situation.

As a resident of the United States, Ms. Jeanson holds a cycling license issued through USA Cycling, and is therefore subject to the anti-doping program administered by USADA. As such, Ms. Jeanson was called for an out-of-competition urine test on July 25, during the Tour de Toona in Pennsylvania. Ms. Jeansons sample was found to be positive for EPO, and this result was confirmed by her B sample.

Due to these results, the case was examined by USADAs review board which supported the analytical results and recommended a lifetime ban from competition and coaching due to the fact that this is Ms. Jeansons second doping offence after her failure to appear at a test in Belgium in 2004.

This decision was communicated to Ms. Jeanson in a letter issued on January 18, 2006, with copies sent to USA Cycling and the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). According to USADA policy, Ms. Jeanson has until January 30, 2006, to inform them of her intention to accept the suspension or contest it. An eventual appeal would be heard by the American Arbitration Association Court for Arbitration in Sport (AAA/CAS), and should that be turned down Ms. Jeanson would have a further option to appeal through the international Court for Arbitration in Sport in Switzerland.

The only other bodies that can appeal the suspension are the UCI and WADA; USA Cycling and all other sport governing bodies are bound by the decision issued by USADA.

To date, this process has been kept confidential in order to protect Ms. Jeansons right to privacy. According to USADA policy, USA Cycling would have been informed of the initial positive test in July, and as a courtesy USA Cycling would have contacted the CCA immediately. However, USA Cycling officials indicated that they only learned of the matter through the media today, at the same time as the CCA.

Ms. Jeanson made the decision of her own accord to render the matter public by contacting the media, announcing her retirement as well as her intention to fight the ruling.

It is of course profoundly disappointing on many levels that Geneviève Jeansons career has ended in this way, said CCA High Performance Director Kris Westwood. She had the potential for a brilliant career, and its a terrible waste of talent that these repeated scandals are all were left with.